Two Days in Paris, May 2009
Jan 23rd, 2010, 08:48 AM
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Two Days in Paris, May 2009
I wrote this report last May when I returned from my overnight stay, but for some reason forgot to post it at the time. I just found it saved in Word so I've copied it here as it may possibly be of some help to someone in the future.
PARIS 9th-10th May 2009
I was booked on the 7.30am Easyjet flight from Bristol Airport to CDG so I left home at 5am, and via the plane and RER I arrived at Gare du Nord 5 hours later - that is quicker than if I'd gone to London and used Eurostar. This was my 5th visit to Paris, and none of them have been for longer than 3 days.
I’d booked a room at the Hotel Alhambra www.hotelalhambra.fr When I arrived at the Oberkampf metro stop I turned right up Rue du Malte - because it has 2 parts marked on the map. It got sleazier and dirtier! I thought OMG, but couldn't find the hotel. Back down, still couldn't find it, so I asked in another hotel, and was told there was a 3rd part of Rue du Malte across the main boulevard (it is there on the map but not named, and has the printing of the metro station over it, anyway the hotel was down that bit and this was a much nicer part of the rue! Seems to me the closer you get to Republique the dirtier it is.
Waited 10 minutes for my room, was pleased with what I saw, dumped my bag and was off out! I got on the bus round the corner on Jean-Pierre Timbaud and travelled down to the Marais fto find falafel for lunch. Very good! I wandered around and down to BHV to look at handbags but no luck in finding the perfect one within my budget. On the way I stopped in at a Pharmacie to buy gel foot pads (and I thought my shoes were comfortable!) and some Voltarol (Voltaren in Paris) pain relief gel as it is much cheaper in Europe than in England.
Then I crossed over to Sainte-Chappelle - WOW, how beautiful, amazing, all those adjectives we've read on Fodors LOL. After leaving you have to cross the courtyard of the Palais du Justice - well, I turned my ankle on the cobblestones. Hobbled over to the cafe opposite and ordered a glass of rose, and rubbed in some Voltarol. (Serendipity in buying it?) It started to rain so out comes the brolly, and I cross back over the road to the Conciergerie (again I go the wrong way and have to backtrack). This seems to be a feature of this trip - my map-reading skills have deserted me and I keep going the wrong way. It worried me a bit as I am usually very good at map-reading and have a good sense of direction.
Enjoyed limping round the Conciergerie - I've always been fascinated by Marie Antoinette and found it quite moving to see where she spent her time in prison, even though it has been reconstructed it is still the same place. I tried to send her soul / spirit a blessing. Then I crossed the river to St Michel and had another vino, and a coffee, it was still raining so I went to the Cluny, had to queue for 20 minutes in the rain to get in. Didn't realise the shop with gifts and postcards etc is when you go in, so didn't get anything then because I didn't know what I might like. Most of the museum was actually quite dull, but I loved the tapestries, they were worth going for, and not just the Unicorn ones. Though those were wonderful. When I left I quite forgot to go back in to the shop, so have no souvenir of that. Oh well.
The Voltarol and paracetamol I'd taken were working by now so I walked (note terminology!) up to St Michel and got on the bus to the Bastille. Walked round the Place des Vosges - it had dried up a bit by now but I still needed the brolly to stop my hair getting too damp and frizzing up!
Stopped for tea. Wandered on slightly painfully to view Rue Daval as it was where I had provisionally reserved a hotel room for my DD’s 18th birthday when she was considering celebrating it in the City of Light and wanted to check out the location. I decided it was a nice street - nicer than where I was staying anyway! - and suitable for a teenager to be. The Hotel Daval looked OK too, and is a hotel I’ve got in mind for a future visit. Took the metro back to Oberkampf, had a wine at the cafe there, then it was 20m to the hotel where I sat on the toilet seat and held my ankle under the cold shower for 10 minutes. That’s when having a small bathroom is useful! It felt better after that.
For dinner I was joining a Fodors GTG arranged by Monica Pileggi, and we were meeting at Perraudin on Rue St Jacques www.restaurant-perraudin.com
To avoid too much walking I planned to take the metro to St Michel then the RER to Luxembourg. Well I got confused at St Michel, got on the train in the wrong direction, backtracked, got to Luxembourg and realised it was too far down so I had to walk back up. I was 20 minutes late and they were all sitting down and ordering! But Monica and everyone else I met were really nice and I had a good evening. Monica posted a picture and a report on Fodors on her May GTG thread.!
I walked back up to the bus stop with Linda and Marna who are sisters from South Africa as they had rented an apartment not far from my hotel for 2 weeks.
I slept very well and got up around 9am on Sunday morning. My room overlooked a courtyard garden belonging to the hotel which was very attractive and there were birds singing. I could have had breakfast in the garden for a few euros but wanted to get out and about exploring.
I took the metro down to the stop before Bastille, which was where the Richard Lenoir market started. I walked down one side as far as Bastille, then back up the other. It was almost torture seeing all these wonderful veggies, fruits, cheeses, meat and fish, foie gras, oils and vinegars, and not be able to buy anything! I wanted to have an apartment and buy and cook and eat! I wanted to live in Paris and be able to shop here every Sunday! At Place de la Bastille there was an antiques market - but it was 8 euros to just go in, so I didn't bother. Back at the tube stop I took the metro back up to past Republique and got off. Walked up rue Lancry to the Canal St Martin. Just here are the first locks after the tunnel - BTW all along Bvd Richard Lenoir are gardens in the centre which have the canal skylights! They are even in the middle of the market.
Oh it was so nice - quiet and peaceful, leafy and green. Just Parisians riding their bicyclettes (often the hire ones, up there you can rent them by Hotel du Nord), walking their dogs, jogging, strolling with children on tricycles or scooters. There were a few nice shops open - you can see them in one of Kerouac's photos, they are all pink, green and yellow! I bought some gifts for my girls here. Found a lovely restaurant with a great menu but it was only 11.30 and I wasn't hungry then, having been snacking on bits and pieces I had bought in the market. Stopped for a coffee, but couldn't walk too much further by now as my ankle was hurting so I turned back towards town as it were, got on a metro and eventually ended up in Montmartre.
Packed with tourists of course. Such a contrast to the Canal. Took the funicular up, wandered round the Place du Tertre but it was very busy. Thought about the Dali museum/exhibition but it was 10 euros to get in so I turned away as I'm not that much of a fan of Dali. All the tables outside restaurants were full by this time so I ate in a funny little place down a side street, 3 courses for 11 euros and a pichet of rose for 5.50 euros.
Took the metro back to the hotel, got my little case and then took the 96 bus all the way to its destination at Gare du Montparnasse, sightseeing along the way. Got on the next 96 bus going BACK as far as St Michel. Had a final glass of wine at a cafe in front of the St Michael fountain, then it was down to the depths of the RER station for the train to CDG.
I was back in my own home before 9pm UK time.
I used the Mobilis pass to get around – a Zone 1-2 on my first day plus the RER ticket from CDG to Gare du Nord, and on the next day a Mobilis Zone 1-5.
The Hotel Residence Alhambra was fine as a short-stay budget hotel, at 87 euros for a twin room. It would be a squeeze for two people with more than carry-on luggage, but the bed I slept in was comfortable and the sheets felt and smelt fresh. The shower room was clean though the shower was on the small side, and had a sort of plasticky-cloth curtain which was hung well inside the shower enclosure so it clung to one’s body which was a bit unnerving – made me think of a certain scene in Psycho… But it wouldn’t put me off staying there again.
PARIS 9th-10th May 2009
I was booked on the 7.30am Easyjet flight from Bristol Airport to CDG so I left home at 5am, and via the plane and RER I arrived at Gare du Nord 5 hours later - that is quicker than if I'd gone to London and used Eurostar. This was my 5th visit to Paris, and none of them have been for longer than 3 days.
I’d booked a room at the Hotel Alhambra www.hotelalhambra.fr When I arrived at the Oberkampf metro stop I turned right up Rue du Malte - because it has 2 parts marked on the map. It got sleazier and dirtier! I thought OMG, but couldn't find the hotel. Back down, still couldn't find it, so I asked in another hotel, and was told there was a 3rd part of Rue du Malte across the main boulevard (it is there on the map but not named, and has the printing of the metro station over it, anyway the hotel was down that bit and this was a much nicer part of the rue! Seems to me the closer you get to Republique the dirtier it is.
Waited 10 minutes for my room, was pleased with what I saw, dumped my bag and was off out! I got on the bus round the corner on Jean-Pierre Timbaud and travelled down to the Marais fto find falafel for lunch. Very good! I wandered around and down to BHV to look at handbags but no luck in finding the perfect one within my budget. On the way I stopped in at a Pharmacie to buy gel foot pads (and I thought my shoes were comfortable!) and some Voltarol (Voltaren in Paris) pain relief gel as it is much cheaper in Europe than in England.
Then I crossed over to Sainte-Chappelle - WOW, how beautiful, amazing, all those adjectives we've read on Fodors LOL. After leaving you have to cross the courtyard of the Palais du Justice - well, I turned my ankle on the cobblestones. Hobbled over to the cafe opposite and ordered a glass of rose, and rubbed in some Voltarol. (Serendipity in buying it?) It started to rain so out comes the brolly, and I cross back over the road to the Conciergerie (again I go the wrong way and have to backtrack). This seems to be a feature of this trip - my map-reading skills have deserted me and I keep going the wrong way. It worried me a bit as I am usually very good at map-reading and have a good sense of direction.
Enjoyed limping round the Conciergerie - I've always been fascinated by Marie Antoinette and found it quite moving to see where she spent her time in prison, even though it has been reconstructed it is still the same place. I tried to send her soul / spirit a blessing. Then I crossed the river to St Michel and had another vino, and a coffee, it was still raining so I went to the Cluny, had to queue for 20 minutes in the rain to get in. Didn't realise the shop with gifts and postcards etc is when you go in, so didn't get anything then because I didn't know what I might like. Most of the museum was actually quite dull, but I loved the tapestries, they were worth going for, and not just the Unicorn ones. Though those were wonderful. When I left I quite forgot to go back in to the shop, so have no souvenir of that. Oh well.
The Voltarol and paracetamol I'd taken were working by now so I walked (note terminology!) up to St Michel and got on the bus to the Bastille. Walked round the Place des Vosges - it had dried up a bit by now but I still needed the brolly to stop my hair getting too damp and frizzing up!
Stopped for tea. Wandered on slightly painfully to view Rue Daval as it was where I had provisionally reserved a hotel room for my DD’s 18th birthday when she was considering celebrating it in the City of Light and wanted to check out the location. I decided it was a nice street - nicer than where I was staying anyway! - and suitable for a teenager to be. The Hotel Daval looked OK too, and is a hotel I’ve got in mind for a future visit. Took the metro back to Oberkampf, had a wine at the cafe there, then it was 20m to the hotel where I sat on the toilet seat and held my ankle under the cold shower for 10 minutes. That’s when having a small bathroom is useful! It felt better after that.
For dinner I was joining a Fodors GTG arranged by Monica Pileggi, and we were meeting at Perraudin on Rue St Jacques www.restaurant-perraudin.com
To avoid too much walking I planned to take the metro to St Michel then the RER to Luxembourg. Well I got confused at St Michel, got on the train in the wrong direction, backtracked, got to Luxembourg and realised it was too far down so I had to walk back up. I was 20 minutes late and they were all sitting down and ordering! But Monica and everyone else I met were really nice and I had a good evening. Monica posted a picture and a report on Fodors on her May GTG thread.!
I walked back up to the bus stop with Linda and Marna who are sisters from South Africa as they had rented an apartment not far from my hotel for 2 weeks.
I slept very well and got up around 9am on Sunday morning. My room overlooked a courtyard garden belonging to the hotel which was very attractive and there were birds singing. I could have had breakfast in the garden for a few euros but wanted to get out and about exploring.
I took the metro down to the stop before Bastille, which was where the Richard Lenoir market started. I walked down one side as far as Bastille, then back up the other. It was almost torture seeing all these wonderful veggies, fruits, cheeses, meat and fish, foie gras, oils and vinegars, and not be able to buy anything! I wanted to have an apartment and buy and cook and eat! I wanted to live in Paris and be able to shop here every Sunday! At Place de la Bastille there was an antiques market - but it was 8 euros to just go in, so I didn't bother. Back at the tube stop I took the metro back up to past Republique and got off. Walked up rue Lancry to the Canal St Martin. Just here are the first locks after the tunnel - BTW all along Bvd Richard Lenoir are gardens in the centre which have the canal skylights! They are even in the middle of the market.
Oh it was so nice - quiet and peaceful, leafy and green. Just Parisians riding their bicyclettes (often the hire ones, up there you can rent them by Hotel du Nord), walking their dogs, jogging, strolling with children on tricycles or scooters. There were a few nice shops open - you can see them in one of Kerouac's photos, they are all pink, green and yellow! I bought some gifts for my girls here. Found a lovely restaurant with a great menu but it was only 11.30 and I wasn't hungry then, having been snacking on bits and pieces I had bought in the market. Stopped for a coffee, but couldn't walk too much further by now as my ankle was hurting so I turned back towards town as it were, got on a metro and eventually ended up in Montmartre.
Packed with tourists of course. Such a contrast to the Canal. Took the funicular up, wandered round the Place du Tertre but it was very busy. Thought about the Dali museum/exhibition but it was 10 euros to get in so I turned away as I'm not that much of a fan of Dali. All the tables outside restaurants were full by this time so I ate in a funny little place down a side street, 3 courses for 11 euros and a pichet of rose for 5.50 euros.
Took the metro back to the hotel, got my little case and then took the 96 bus all the way to its destination at Gare du Montparnasse, sightseeing along the way. Got on the next 96 bus going BACK as far as St Michel. Had a final glass of wine at a cafe in front of the St Michael fountain, then it was down to the depths of the RER station for the train to CDG.
I was back in my own home before 9pm UK time.
I used the Mobilis pass to get around – a Zone 1-2 on my first day plus the RER ticket from CDG to Gare du Nord, and on the next day a Mobilis Zone 1-5.
The Hotel Residence Alhambra was fine as a short-stay budget hotel, at 87 euros for a twin room. It would be a squeeze for two people with more than carry-on luggage, but the bed I slept in was comfortable and the sheets felt and smelt fresh. The shower room was clean though the shower was on the small side, and had a sort of plasticky-cloth curtain which was hung well inside the shower enclosure so it clung to one’s body which was a bit unnerving – made me think of a certain scene in Psycho… But it wouldn’t put me off staying there again.
Jan 23rd, 2010, 09:12 AM
#2
What a treat to live close enough to Paris to hop over for one night!
I agree about the markets- it is much more pleasant to walk around the markets when you can actually buy things and have an apartment to bring them back to. Otherwise you're just window shopping.
I agree about the markets- it is much more pleasant to walk around the markets when you can actually buy things and have an apartment to bring them back to. Otherwise you're just window shopping.
